hi,
i don't have Visual C++
can i compile other program then Visual C++?
or where i can download trial version of Visual C++?

To build K-Meleon, you will need to first build Mozilla.

You can compile Mozilla with free tools like the Microsoft Visual C++ Toolkit 2003.

You will also need the Microsoft Platform SDK. For less headaches, you will need the "Microsoft Windows Core SDK", including the Win64 stuff, and the "Microsoft Web Workshop (IE) SDK". While the documentation, the redistributable and the source codes may be nice to have, they aren't necessary.

The Microsoft .NET Framework SDK Version 1.1 is necessary for the "MSVCRT.lib". If you can get this file elsewhere, the SDK is unnecessary to build Mozilla.

MASM is needed in order to build the cryptographic libraries used by Mozilla and K-Meleon to have HTTPS ability. It also has some files not available in any of the free Microsoft stuff.

You can refer to the official notes on how to build Mozilla. There are some other places for some information, or you can ask here for additional help.


Unfortunately, you cannot build K-Meleon with the VC++ Toolkit 2003. This is because K-Meleon uses MFC, which isn't available in the free Toolkit.

Besides, using the toolkit requires you at least to have Win 2k and XP installed to install it and use it. Also, the latest Microsoft SDK requires XP to installed to use it. And, the Microsoft Frame work may require Win 2K or XP to work. Also three of also require the Microsoft Installer to be installed, Which means Kmeleon could only be compiled and would only work for Win 2k and XP. Which make Kmeelon useless for Windows 95, 98, 98SE, NT, and ME which majority of people still use becuase either can't afford XP or do not like XP instead may prefer the control that 98SE has because with 98SE you can boot to DOS Mode wipe the Windows Directory and perform a clean install without formating the hard drive. XP has not option to boot to DOS Mode. Such a option could be usefull if you had a virus your Windows Directory that you can't remove through Windows and Windows Anti-Virus Programs. Some Viruses seem to return to windows even after remove them through windows. Being Able to Wipe the Windows directory would prevent insipid viruses from returning because they would no longer be hidden in the Windows Directory and would also wipe viruses that may have infected you antivirus software. I also find that the DOS Mode is very useful fore backing up the registries and deleting registries. For example, I backup the registy before and after I install software with a batch file stores the registry file on my hard drive. Before I restore a backed up registry to windows, use DELTREE to delete the corrupt registry to insure that no element of the corrupt registry remains such as an virus or some other element which could prevent a successful registry import. Before I realized that some programs left elements or bugs in the registry which are very difficult to remove.

Despite that the free Toolkit being limited to Win2k or WinXP machines, it can compile programs that will run in Win95 machines. Also, I'm guessing that it may be possible to get both Mozilla and K-Meleon to run in the older OSes by copying over the necessary DLLs. Although personally, I wouldn't want to do such a thing.

Which Microsoft Framework do you mean? In anycase, after messing around with the compilers, I find that the .NET Framework and the .NET SDK isn't necessary to the compilation -- after I copied the files that I needed and uninstalled both .NETs. Unfortunately, it still needs one of the newer DLLs to run -- but it still may be possible to remove that dependency with the correct build settings.

As for official builds, I would rather share my source with the developers and let them compile the official stuff. This is an open source project.

Regarding wiping and reinstalling the OS. You can also do that with Win2k. You can do it the hard way by dropping the HDD into other Win2k system and then use that system to wipe all the OS stuff. Alternatively, you could try using the Win2k install CD to get into the recovery console and try deleting the OS stuff from there. True, it isn't as easy as doing it in Win98 or others.

Deltree is one thing I miss from the old Win9x days. T_T

for reinstalling nt based wins look at:

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

also includes file manager - the is even a possibility to ad k-m.

i try build mozilla with http://gemal.dk/mozilla/build.html
on step 13 i see this:

C:\mozilla\mozilla>make -f client.mk build_all
client.mk:421: MOZ_PHOENIX is obsolete.
Adding client.mk options from /cygdrive/c/mozilla/mozilla/.mozconfig:
MOZ_PHOENIX=1
cd /cygdrive/c/mozilla/mozilla
/cygdrive/c/mozilla/mozilla/configure
Adding configure options from /cygdrive/c/mozilla/mozilla/.mozconfig:
--disable-composer
--disable-debug
--disable-mailnews
--disable-tests
--enable-crypto
--enable-strip
--enable-strip-libs
loading cache ./config.cache
checking host system type... i686-pc-cygwin
checking target system type... i686-pc-cygwin
checking build system type... i686-pc-cygwin
checking for gcc... gcc
checking whether the C compiler (gcc ) works... no
configure: error: installation or configuration problem: C compiler cannot creat
e executables.
*** Fix above errors and then restart with "make -f client.mk build"
make: *** [/cygdrive/c/mozilla/mozilla/Makefile] Error 1

C:\mozilla\mozilla>

how can i fix this problem?

You're using the MinGW to build Mozilla?

And did you get the Mozilla 1.7.8 source? This can be more convenient than the CVS, unless you want the latest code.

You can also try Dorian's .mozconfig, which is specialised for K-Meleon. It's a few posts down in this thread.

Pawel,

are you using the free toolkit from MS to build Mozilla?

configure: error: installation or configuration problem: C compiler cannot create executables.

A simple fix in this case might be to add the following to your environment batch file:

call "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual C++ Toolkit 2003\VCVARS32.BAT"

- Even if the contents of the toolkit's batch file are already in your own one.

I got this error when I tried everling's environment, too. BTW: Google knows this error and my answer above as well. :-)

I got this error when I tried everling's environment, too.

That is curious. Could it be that you have another cl.exe outside of the free Toolkit and is specified in the path variable before the Toolkit's? Because if you called my environment setup and then the Toolkit's vcvars32.bat, the vcvars32.bat will automatically promote the Toolkit's files to be the first in any search order.

My path looks like this.

D:\Mozilla>path
PATH=C:\Program Files\Microsoft Platform SDK\Bin;C:\Program Files\Micros
oft Visual C++ Toolkit 2003\bin;C:\masm32\bin;c:\winnt;D:\mozilla\vc71\b
in;D:\mozilla\moztools\bin;C:\cygwin\bin

The Platform SDK bin directory doesn't exists in my current compiler environment. Afaik, to build Mozilla, you only need the midl.exe and the midlc.exe from the PSDK's bin directory. I had copied those two files out and then removed that PSDK bin directory.

I suppose I'll need to do a clean rebuild of my system one of these days. My highly(?) modified environment could be misleading me into making bad suggestions. ^^;